Tears of a Statue
by Picture Magpie
Summary: Returning home beaten and broken, Sasuke throws a new wrench into the life he and Naruto have worked so hard to build. Can they come out of this on top, or are they doomed to kiss their happiness goodbye? SasuNaru NaruSasu pairing.
1. Tears of a Statue

Welcome to **Tears of a Statue**, episode 1. This story will be rated PG 13 due to relationships and violence.

All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto – san.

This story is set in the future, when team seven is about 25 years old. Naruto is already Hokage and Sasuke has come back to Konoha after an incident at Orochimaru's.

**Episode 1 – Tears of a Statue**

Naruto stared blankly at the wall, not really listening to the conversations around him. They would be the same as all the other previous conversations; people wanting this, the village needing that. Naruto might have at least tried to look attentive if he hadn't been so worried.

Sasuke was missing. He had been for two weeks, but Naruto was unable to go look for him himself. The Hokage was apparently never to be dispatched on such meaningless tasks.

Naruto harrumphed. _As if I could actually concentrate with Sasuke missing_.

"Hokage-sama?"

_That's asking for a miracle and they know it. Stupid Elders think they know best just because they're older. Senile old buggers._

"Hokage-sama?"

_I should just sneak out and find him myself. It's not as if they can keep me captive in my own village. I could jus-_

"Naruto!"

"Hmmm?" Said Naruto, surfacing from his thoughts to face an ill-tempered Sakura. The rest of the people in the room seemed to have gone quiet, instead choosing to watch the play unfold in front of them.

"Hmmm! That's all you have to say for yourself? You didn't listen to a word I just said, did you?"

Naruto looked her in the eye, a serious expression on his face. "No" He said quite simply, nonplussed at how Sakura face vaulted.

She rose from the floor, her left eye twitching dangerously. Whacking Naruto over the head with her file folder she started again; "As I was saying, Sasuke has finally showed up…"

Naruto leapt out of his chair and headed for the door, without waiting to hear the rest of the reaport, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw that Sakura was wearing a solemn look on her face.

"The thing is Naruto, we don't know where he's been. He came back battered and bruised, but he has been refusing to tell us what happened. The Elder's council think he may be playing for Orochimaru's team again".

Naruto jerked his arm away from her and glared. "You know that he would never go back to them, not after what they did to him."

Sakura hung her head in shame and started fidgeting with her vest. Naruto's anger evaporated as quickly as it had come. He touched her chin and lifted her face, smiling down at her.

"Besides Sakura-chan, the Elder's say Sasuke has gone evil every time he comes back from a mission."

She gave a strangled little giggle and nodded her head, pink hair flying in all directions.

With that, Naruto turned away from her and headed towards the door. He knew where he was going. He was going to the same place the Anbu took Sasuke every time he came back to Konoha, the Holding Cell.

* * *

Naruto knocked twice on the heavy metal door, listening for the muffled sounds of footsteps. When he heard none, Naruto threw caution to the wind and pushed open the door. 

Inside, lying with his head in his arms and gazing at the ceiling was Sasuke. Naruto stood for a moment to absorb the sight of his friend, taking notice of all bandages. After he had convinced himself that Sasuke was indeed not in danger of dying, he gathered up his robes and marched over to the side of the bed.

"Oi! Teme! Just where the hell do you think you've been? Two weeks without word! Who do you think you are? I am your boss, and it might be nice to be given warning before you prance off to get yourself killed!" Naruto stopped yelling, his chest heaving as he glared at Sasuke, daring him to give a satisfactory answer.

Sasuke turned his head slightly to look at Naruto, a blank, dead look in his eyes. Naruto knew that look and what it meant all to well. Naruto instantly stopped glaring and dove to comfort Sasuke.

_I can't believe he went to try again… He can't beat his brother yet, not after what Orochimaru did to him._

Naruto leaned forward and gently kissed Sasuke's forehead. Sasuke just lay there, tears flowing freely from his glass-like eyes.

_The tears of a statue_, thought Naruto, a dark cloud settling over his thoughts.

Naruto sat and held Sasuke close, rocking him back and forth, without uttering a sound. Sasuke continued to cry well into the night, but the Hokage sat silently with him, just as he had so many times before.

* * *

**Thanks for reading this story. Sorry that the first chapter is amazingly short, but I'm hoping the chapters get longer as I go. **A Foxes Den** is still in the works, but it might take a while. Thank you all for waiting so patiently. This story was started to kind of break the writers block, since I haven't done much writing since I got sick. I hope to get into the swing of things again soon (maybe after the dreaded exams?). Thank you again for reading.**


	2. Invitation

Welcome to **Tears of a Statue**, episode 2. This story will be rated PG 13 due to relationships and violence.

All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto – san.

This story is set in the future, when team seven is about 25 years old. Naruto is already Hokage and Sasuke has come back to Konoha after an incident at Orochimaru's.

**Episode 2 – Invitation**

"Rise and shine, Sleepy Head!" whispered Naruto.

Sasuke rolled over in a futile attempt to hold on to his slumber. Naruto huffed in an irritated way, but he couldn't help but smile.

"Come on Princess, I would rather not spend the rest of my life in a dingy old room, and I know you wouldn't either".

Sasuke mumbled something unintelligible into his pillow. Naruto smirked and leaned in closer to listen.

"S'too early for morning…"

Naruto smiled softly. Whatever Sasuke might be, a morning person he was not. The only reason Sasuke had ever managed to arrive at the bridge (the team seven meeting place) first was pure resolve, as well as the longing to show everybody else up.

Naruto bent over and tickled Sasuke on his side lightly. Sasuke jerked awake and glared at the blond. The effect was somewhat lost due to the fact of the supreme bed head hair. Naruto suppressed a giggle.

"Come on Sasuke, I have breakfast upstairs. Remember breakfast? That wonderful time of day when eating just comes naturally? Not at all, you say? You say that you sleep through breakfast everyday? Huh…"

Sasuke glared at him through tousled bangs, uttering a soft "shut up".

* * *

After a shower and some food, Sasuke appeared to be in better spirits. He was even participating in conversation, a hint of a smile on his face to fool Sakura and Lee, who had come over to visit. Naruto knew better though, and could see through his mask in a second. Sasuke was still hurting inside, but he was putting on a happy face to comfort others, and it pissed Naruto off to no extent.

_Bloody Pansy should be looking after his own feelings, but instead he's guarding other peoples. I should go over there, rip off his stupid fake smile, and stuff it up his-_

"Naruto? Is something wrong? You've been awfully quiet all morning", said Sakura, her eyes filled with worry.

Naruto looked up at her in surprise. "No, nothing's wrong. I'm just tired".

Sakura blushed a faint pink at the double entendre. Naruto and Sasuke's relationship had always been a bit above the norm, but she couldn't help but blush when their sex life was mentioned.

Naruto quirked an eyebrow, knowing full well what she was thinking. They hadn't actually had sex last night, but she didn't know that. And what she didn't know couldn't hurt her.

* * *

After Sakura and Lee had left, Naruto and Sasuke took to glaring at each other from opposite sides of the living room. They had gotten quite good at staring contests by now, and could go on for hours if they had wanted to. The thing was that Naruto didn't want to; he would rather get to the bottom of the newest problem to rear it's ugly head.

"Sooo… What happened? You can't lie to me Sasuke, I know you too well. What the hell did you try to do?"

Sasuke continued to glare at Naruto, refusing to give in to those pitiful blue eyes. Naruto may have sounded tough, but he wore a hurt look on his face; one which tortured Sasuke to no end.

Naruto dropped the act (_as if I could really stay angry at him_) and walked over to the couch. He sat down and took Sasuke's hand in his.

"Look, I'm sorry, but you know how I feel about your vengeance quests. There is nothing you can do," Sasuke went to turn his head away, but Naruto grabbed his chin and forced him to remain still. "Absolutely nothing. Orochimaru hurt you and pure rage is not going to be enough to kill him or your brother. You need to heal."

Sasuke sighed and rested his head against Naruto's shoulder. Naruto knew he sounded like a broken record, but he didn't see how Sasuke could keep doing this to himself. After the abuse that the snake-bastard had put him through, how could Sasuke expect to just get up and walk it off?

Naruto stroked his lover's hair softly. _You should never have gone searching for power. Look where it got you._

Naruto sat for a while longer, hoping his company would help to heal some of the pain Sasuke was feeling. Eventually though, he had to get up. Removing himself from Sasuke with a light kiss on the lips, Naruto stood and walked over to the hall closet to find his Hokage robes.

"Now Sasuke," began Naruto as he pulled the red and white robes over his head, "I want you to stay home today. There is no way that I am issuing you any missions, not even a D class. Stay home and rest. When I get back, I want the full story, even if I have to beat it out of you".

With that Naruto walked out the door, allowing Sasuke to stew in his emotions for the rest of the day.

* * *

"Hokage-sama!"

"Hmmm… You say something Kiba?" Muttered Naruto, his eyes still closed.

"I said that Hinata is throwing a party tonight, and she wants you and the bastard to come. Why, I have no idea. I think it's something to cheer you guys up. She says that you guys have been so sad and distant lately. It's tomorrow, so come and make her day, you prat!"

Naruto cracked an eye open and looked at Kiba. The brunette was tall and well built, as well as being one of Naruto's better ninja, but he was still rude as hell. How he had managed to hold on to a catch like Hinata was amazing, but they were happy together, and he was happy for them.

"Sure, tell her thanks and that we send our love".

Kiba snorted at this.

"Alright, **I **send my love, but tell her that it is from both of us anyway. Okay?"

"Yah, Yah, I'll lie. See you tomorrow." With that Kiba exited Naruto's office, leaving the blond alone amongst his papers.

Later, when Naruto did get home, he found that Sasuke had already gone to bed. He thought of marching in there and shaking Sasuke awake, but decided to leave him alone. He was used to waiting for explanations. He had waited three years for one when Sasuke had run off to the Snake-bastard; he could defiantly wait a few more days for this explanation.

Naruto opened the door and quietly slipped off his robes, before sliding into bed next to Sasuke. He would tell him about the party tomorrow. With that thought, Naruto drifted into slumber, the dark brunette curled like a cat in his arms.

* * *

**Here's the second chapter. I know things are moving slowly, but once the train starts moving we'll be in business. Thank you so much for reading, and hopefully you are enjoying it rather than hating my guts. If you have and questions or comments, feel free to express them. I'd love to hear from you.**


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